Festivals and the COVID-19 pandemic: creative responses, threats and opportunities

The COVID 19 pandemic severely disrupted the workings of the festival and event sector in Ireland during 2020 and into 2021 as government regulations prohibited gatherings of people, and public health advice advocated social distancing. Many festivals and events were forced to cancel or postpone their plans, but others were able to devise a variety of creative responses to sustain their activities throughout the pandemic. This case study examines how festivals adapted by embracing digital technologies. It goes on to discuss the challenges faced by the sector in doing so, as well as the opportunities that were generated.